Tuesday, 12 May 2015

NEC vows to complete BVR by early August

Voting constituencies will be announced tomorrow, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) assured stakeholders yesterday.

NEC has also announced that the so far embattled Biometric Voter Registration (BRV) will be finalised over the next two months and completed by early August,

Speaking yesterday in Dar es Salaam during a meeting with political party leaders, NEC Director of Election Julius Malaba said the Commission will announce the delimitation of constituencies on Wednesday.

He said all stakeholders who want their constituencies included are required to observe the population quota of their respective areas.

According to the 2012 population census there are 47,110,506 people in the Mainland and when divided by the current 189 constituencies in the mainland, the population quota will be 249,262, explained the NEC Director of Election.

Malaba said since a constituency is required to be within a specified administrative boundary, the new councils will be given priority to avoid any constituency from being within two different councils.

“NEC recognises the importance of letting stakeholders know the constituencies early…the Commission is determined to do the exercise transparently and timely,” he reassured stakeholders.

In this regard, the Civic United Front (CUF) National Chairman Prof Ibrahim Lipumba emphasised the need for NEC to avail the entire election schedule soonest possible.

“To enable political parties prepare their candidates, NEC should also give its targeted number of people to be registered and the number of constituencies,” he urged.

On his part, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) Ideology and Publicity Secretary Nape Nnauye called upon NEC to speed up announcement of the election schedule so as to clear doubts as to whether the election will be carried out this year or not.

As for the BVR, NEC Chairman Retired Judge Damian Lubuva said the government has continued to disburse funds for the registration of voters through BVR in other regions.

“We will receive over 3000 BVR kits at the end of this month bringing the total to 8000 BVR kits...that is all that is needed for the entire process,” he said.

He said the completion of the registration will pave way for the General Election slated for October this year.

On the matter of the indefinitely postponed referendum on the proposed new Constitution, Judge Lubuva said the new date will depend on completion of the registration.

“After completing the registration of voters we will go back to the government and it will decide when the referendum should be conducted,” he said.

Retired Judge Lubuva went on to point out that the Commission has already completed the registration in Njombe Region and it has moved to Ruvuma to be followed by Lindi, Mtwara and Iringa.

He said with arrival of the 3000 BVR kits at the end of this month, the Commission will move to Dodoma, Rukwa, Katavi, and then Mbeya.

Registration of voters through the BVR started on February 23 this year in Njombe where it was rattled by a number of challenges.

It took 46 days to complete the work in that one region alone forcing NEC to indefinitely postponed the referendum that was originally slated for April 30.